Madness
by TyLeeChan
Summary: Oneshot: Azula thought she had everything that she had ever wanted, even with what had just happened. But when she loses something very important, she realizes her mind isn't as stable as she thought. Major Boiling Rock and minor rest-of-the-book spoiler


**Hey, this is my first oneshot, and I have to say I impressed myself a bit. It is very dramatic, angsty, depressing...well, a lot of things. And it is my first Fanfic from Azula's POV. Which is hard. She is a bit OOC, but that is kind of explained in the fic itself. I got this idea after I watched the Boiling Rock (Yes, that does mean there are BR spoilers. There is also a slight rest-of-the-season spoiler, but I think everybody knows about it. PHOINEX LORD!! There, that was the spoiler. Not much...) and seeing the NYCC trailer (More specifically, all the scenes in the trailer that have craaaazy-fied Azula in them). My dialouge stinks, and may take away from some of the drama, so please don't judge this by the dialouge. Oh...and the ending is kind of speedy-weedy, but I couldn't think of any other way to write how I wanted to end it. Well...enjoy! R&R**

* * *

The halls were dim, not a candle lit. Of course, she could easily set them aflame if she wanted to, but this was how she liked it. Dark, full of secrets. Just like her. As she walked down them, she reached out and let her hand brush the walls. It felt cold and smooth, painted with the finest paint. The finest paint in the Fire Nation that is. She knew that the Earth Kingdom had a much more perfected formula, but her father would not allow that in his palace. She probably would feel uncomfortable sleeping in a house furnished with materials from the enemy anyways.

She smiled as she approached her room. Everything was going perfectly, even with all the failures that led up to it. Even with the most unexpected twist of fate she had ever experienced in her life. Her stomach knotted up as she remembered the events of last week. No, not again. She wiped the feelings away and breathed in slowly. No. She couldn't let that distract her. Not when all she ever wanted was placed in front of her, waiting for her to take it. Not when she was ready to be crowned ruler of her people.

As she walked through her doorway, she stopped. Her ears pricked up, as if listening for any small sound that would break the endless silence. Something was different, she could sense it. Slowly she moved her body into a fighting stance, her legs rooted to the ground. She brought her middle and pointer finger into position, ready to let the lightning flow through her and strike the intruder. Minutes passed by, and she remained in the pose, breathing small quick breaths. Finally, she deemed the room safe to enter, and she took two steps in.

She always kept her room precise to a point. So when something was changed, even to the slightest extent, she noticed it. But what was it? She looked around, her eyes darting at every object in her sight. She had examined half of the room when something stuck the back of her neck. She froze and lifted her hand to feel what had hit her. She instantly drew back her fingers in disgust. Water. She turned towards the direction it came from. She sighed as soon as she saw what had caused her so much worry.

The window was wide open, rain spilling into her room from it. She walked over to close it, her legs loosening up after all the caution. All her anxiety vanished, and she instinctively looked down. Just as she predicted, a small scroll lay on the chair next to her vanity. She picked it up and read the inscription on the outside. '_A Friend_ '. She wasn't at all surprised at the parchment. It was only the third one this week. The only thing different was the messenger had forgotten to shut the window on his, or her, way out.

She almost laughed at the efforts to communicate with her. The letters had always been addressed '_A Friend_ ', but the sloppy handwriting obviously gave away who was really penning the note. They should have known better. She clenched the paper and walked over to her dresser. With her free hand she opened the bottom drawer and dropped the scroll in with the other two. Eventually she would burn them, but she didn't feel like it yet. She wanted to entertain their labors.

The only thing that truly bothered her about the whole thing was how they got into her room. Knowing them, they probably buttered up a guard. But what if it was part of some revolt happening inside her own country? No, she seriously doubted that. Just because they betrayed her didn't mean that anyone else would. It was just some dumb guard. Yes, that is what it was. A guard…

Her stomach knotted up again. She had let those two control her thoughts for too long. Perhaps she should burn the scrolls earlier then she planned, just to get _them_ out of her mind. She looked into her drawer. It wouldn't be that hard, just a small spark. She could even stop it before it completely destroyed her dresser. Then she wouldn't have to think of it anymore.

Slowly she snapped her fingers, and went to lower the flame. It licked the first scroll she received, consuming it eagerly. After it turned it into ashes, the fire moved to the next one. She smelled the smoke and grinned. This was the smell of pure power. The smell of authority. The smell of…

A noise caused her to jump. She cut off the flame, killing it in its prime. In its place she produced a fireball in her hand. She turned, ready to throw it at…

The servant shook with fright at the sight of the projectile hovering above her fingers. She sighed, and let her hand relax, extinguishing the fire.

"Yes, what do you want?" She asked, clearly annoyed at his interruption. She looked closely at him, and saw him sweating bullets. His eyes were as small as a speck. Fear. Yes real fear. She liked it. But why wouldn't someone fear her?

"_I love Zuko more than I fear you._"

She jerked at the sudden memory. The sharpness of her eyes. The defiance in her voice.

"Princess…"He said nervously after a quick bow, "Your father requests that you select your final council members."

His news bought her back to reality. That was right; she needed two more council members before her coronation. Not that they ever did much, but they were still needed. It was a tradition, as her father said.

She nodded and raised her hand, dismissing him. He gulped slowly, but didn't move. She waited a few seconds, thinking maybe she had stunned him. Yet he still didn't leave. Her face heated up with anger. How dare he defy her!? No one defied her and got away with it. They were proof of that.

"Didn't you see me, fool!? I want you to get out!!" She screamed in fury. The servant's face was priceless, pupils so small you could barely see it. She almost smiled in satisfaction, but didn't so that he didn't loosen up. He cleared his throat.

"…uh…my apologies…Princess…but your father requests that you select them…now…" He looked like he was about to cry as he relayed the information. But she felt no pity. She hadn't felt pity for them either. Or had she…?

She turned around so that the servant would not see her cradling her hurting stomach. She had let them come back…why did she think about them all the time!? Why did her father demand so much of her when she could barely make it through the day without being totally distracted? She felt like she was going to throw up. But she couldn't do it in front of the servant…

"Tell my father…that I will tell him later today…" She muttered finally.

"But Princess…he said…" He pleaded direly.

"That was an order!!" She whipped around and cried. Startled, the servant jumped back out of the doorway. Quickly, she ran up and slammed the door, hoping to hit him in the face. Sounds from through the door soon told her that she did. She wanted desperately to smile, to laugh about the man's situation, but her stomach began to tighten again.

She walked over to her bed and fell back into it. Her body landed with a soft thud into the feathery cushion. Wanting comfort, she grabbed a pillow and thrust it next to her stomach. She carefully pushed it in, creating pressure that countered her pain. She sighed as the tightness diminished. She was psyching herself out, and not on purpose this time.

Council members. She told that wimpy excuse for a man that she would choose them later today. And her father would not be happy if she delayed it any longer. Well then, she had better start deciding now. It was only two members, she would be done easily.

Her mind immediately began to list through names. War Minister Qin? She thought about it for a moment. No, ever since his defeat at the wall of Ba Sing Se, his position had lowered immensely. And his failure had also revealed something to her; he was weak. She needed someone who was strong.

If only Zhao was still alive. Now that was a man who had strength. And his demeanor would have been perfect. But no, that idiot Avatar killed him. She never quite understood how that happened. The happy-go-lucky kid didn't looked like he could hurt a fly, and he usually avoided fatal combat. Then again, she heard that he was in the Avatar State when it happened. She had concluded that he didn't have full control of his body when that happened, as displayed in Ba Sing Se. But she still had never seen him even attempt to kill anyone.

The list kept flying by as she rejected all the names that were given to her. She needed someone she knew well. Someone who was strong. But did she even know anyone, let alone two people, who could do that? She had to think harder, longer. Time. She didn't have much time. She began to sweat. Her eyes widened.

Pain. Not in her stomach this time, but her back. She stopped breathing for a moment. She could almost feel the girl's small hands hitting the pressure points again. She almost cried out. She wanted it to stop. Stop! But no one but herself could stop it, and she didn't have the will. Didn't have the…strength.

She slowly brought herself to her knees, the bed creaking under her weight. She had to concentrate. She needed to choose the council members. The list. It had stopped rolling and focused on two names. Two names that she had already let take over her mind. But would they accept? Of course. Not only did she need them as her council members, but she needed them as her friends.

It was time for her to take a trip. She smiled. Yes, a trip she should have taken a long time ago.

* * *

The halls were completely metallic, a single candle lit on one wall. She slowly walked down them, not a hint of hesitation in her steps. She had to do this. She had to. The guard that followed her still had the puzzled look plastered on his face. He had been there last week on the platform with her. He heard what she had said in regard of the two she now was visiting. But he didn't understand what she felt now.

He flipped the key ring around his finger as the neared the door. She didn't take notice of it though, her mind focused on the events that would soon occur. She didn't expect Mai to agree with her…right away at least. She was the one that was hurt the most. But once Ty Lee accepted and the matter of Zuko was brought up, she was sure to come.

The guard had already stuck the key in and turned it by the time she redirected her attention to him. He gave her a look that asked if she really wanted to do this. She nodded, even though his question hadn't actually been asked. He sighed and pushed the door forward, only to reveal another locked door. He quickly unlocked that one too.

The door swung open to reveal two beds on separate sides of the stone room. Other than that it was completely unfurnished. There wasn't even a window to let a sliver of sunshine in. On one of the beds was a girl with long raven black hair, her back to the entrance. Mai.

"Please leave us alone." Azula said to the guard. Mai didn't even flinch at the sound of her voice. The guard nodded and walked out, closing the second door behind him. It was deadly quiet. She looked around, confused. She was pretty sure from a report she had gotten that Ty Lee was in this room as well. But she wasn't here now. Perhaps she was working at the labor area. But wouldn't Mai be there too?

Mai hadn't turned around since she had entered. Azula inferred that she was still angry at her. That made sense; she had locked her up in a prison.

"…Mai…I'm sorry that it had to be this way…" She thought the words out carefully, "But I have come with a proposal. I will restore both yours and Ty Lee's freedom, and make you members of my council…oh wait, you haven't heard have you? I am going to become the Firelord, and Daddy will be the Phoenix Lord." Mai still didn't acknowledge her existence, but Azula kept going. She had to, or this whole visit would be a waste of time.

"...I know you must be very upset with me…I would be too…but…I need you…and Ty Lee too. I made a big mistake, and I now realize that I should cut you two, and Zuko, some slack." She waited to see Mai's reaction to the mention of her boyfriend. Nothing. This surprised her, as the whole ordeal that she was suffering now was because of Zuko. Because she loved him.

"If you and Ty Lee come back, I will not hold Zuko on any charges once we detain him and the Avatar's friends. Sure, he won't be the Prince, but he will be allowed to be with you again…and I will let Ty Lee have that water peasant that she is so fond of." She tried not to let the eagerness show. She still needed to keep up her image. But already she had shown her friend that she had broken down and that she was losing her cool. She wasn't being threatening or mean. She was nervous, desperate. Mai didn't realize how much she needed her. Needed both of them.

"And Ty Lee can go back to the circus now and then if she wants to…and…where is she now anyways?" She finally asked the question that had been bugging her during the whole visit. Ty Lee was definitely supposed to be in this room. Unless she was moved to another prison. But that made entirely no sense, since they would need her authority to do so. But what if she had accidentally signed the papers without realizing it? Not likely, but still possible.

She breathed the cold air in slowly as she watched Mai turn around. Her prison outfit was torn at the sleeves and a bit at the pants. Her hair was tussled and the buns were undone, letting the strands run in down her side. But what surprised Azula was her face.

Her cheeks were red and stained with tears as more rolled down her face. Her eyes were slits, stabbing Azula with a piercing stare. Her mouth was pursed, her lips parched from lack of water. There were scratches everywhere, even some still bleeding. Azula stepped back against the door.

"You want to know where she is?" Mai asked, her words sounding like poison.

"Well…I mean…" she was stunned at the appearance of her friend, "I assumed she was going to be in the same room as you…but maybe…"

Mai stood up, her fists clenched. She walked up to the princess, not missing a beat. Now Azula was frightened.

"You want to know where she is?!" Her voice grew louder, almost to a scream, "I'll tell you!! She's not here!! And she's not coming back!!"

"Was she transferred to a different prison…?" She asked, not understanding what Mai meant. There was still that possibility that she had accidentally moved Ty Lee. Mai looked furious.

"She's dead, Azula!! They killed her! You killed her!"

The world stopped spinning as she took in those words. At first she thought Mai was joking, but when she looked her in the eyes she saw that she was serious. Her stomach tightened. Ty Lee was dead? The bubbly, pink contortionist was dead? Her friend was dead? And now Mai blamed her?

"I didn't…I…" She protested. But Mai didn't listen.

"Leave here!! I'm never going with you!! Not after what you did!! I'm never going!!" She screamed, scratching at her own face. Azula looked closer and saw that Mai's eyes were wild, her pupils small, almost like those of an animal.

"Mai…"

"LEAVE!!" Mai raised her hand to slap her, but Azula slipped out and slammed the door behind her. She breathed in slowly, regaining her bearings. She had seen this behavior before, and it now told her that she had lost both of her friends. One to death, and one to madness. A cough redirected her attention.

"Oh…excuse me…Princess…" It was the guard from before. He had remained in the small corridor between the two locked doors. Waiting for her to come out. Waiting to see her reaction. She wanted to strike him for not telling her. For not warning her. But her stomach wouldn't let her.

"You knew…didn't you?" Azula asked. He nodded.

"It wasn't my place to tell you about her condition…" He explained. She instantly felt guilty for her earlier thoughts of harming this man. He was only following orders.

"How…how did it happen…I never got a report…?"

"The warden…the new warden…didn't want you to know about it." His eyes darted around nervously, "He didn't expect you to come back for them. He thought they were nothing to you…" She grimaced. That was how she had felt then. That was practically what she had told them…but it wasn't the truth. It was never the truth. But then again, she always lied.

"Did you know them very well?"

"Ty Lee and Mai? Who didn't?" His face loosened up a bit, "They were the most popular prisoners here. Everyone wanted to know everything about them…and about you…"

"About me?"

"Of course, you are the princess." The guard smiled as he went on, "Ty Lee was always happy, bringing hope to all those who had none here. But that doesn't mean that's how she really felt…When I came on the night shift, I would hear muffled crying from through the door. She was really upset about what she did to you…" Azula flinched at that. Picturing the poor girl crying made her heart want to break. She had never felt these feelings before. It was as if she was numb, and now the ice was melting.

"And Mai?"

"Oh…she was solemn face all the time. She didn't talk to anyone, except Ty Lee and me. She seemed so smart…I can't believe what has become of her…" Azula nodded, barely believing her condition as well. Mai was always strong. She had willpower. She would never have expected her to crack so quickly. Azula's eyes widened as she realized something.

"…So, you came here often?" She asked.

"Of course, it was my only watch I had." He raised his brow inquisitively, as if trying to figure out what she was trying to ask.

"…Did…did you ever send a letter…?" His face immediately hardened in fear.

"…I guess you caught me…" He gave a fake smile, "Yes…Ty Lee did give me some letters to give to you. Did you get them, have you read them?" He asked anxiously. She froze. She couldn't tell him what she had done. She had acted rashly. Instead, Azula just shook her head.

"I have them…but…I haven't…" She replied. He nodded, not completely satisfied with her answer. She didn't expect him to be satisfied anyways.

"She desperately wanted to talk to you. She revered you so much, you know?"

Azula thought about this. Ty Lee always was there to say something nice about her…to help her when she needed it…But she never paid much attention to it. If only she had. Maybe they would have had a better friendship. Maybe she wouldn't have died so young. It was too late now.

"I'm guessing you want to know how she died…" He asked timidly. She nodded. She hadn't wanted to ask the question directly, and was relieved that he had brought it up instead of her.

"Do you know?" She inquired.

"…I was there…" He replied calmly.

* * *

_The sun shined brightly into the yard of the prison. The prisoners were scattered throughout the flat outside, stretching out their arms and legs. But not as literally as she was. He smiled as he watched her bend her leg back over her shoulder. Mai stood beside her, looking as bored as ever. He wanted to go over and talk to them, but they were already in the middle of a conversation and he wasn't allowed anyways._

"…_and then Zuko ate it? Remember the look on his face?" Ty Lee asked, brimming with cheeriness. Mai sighed and nodded. "You were afraid that it was poisonous, but Lady Ursa knew that it wasn't. Azula didn't care though, she was to busy laughing. It was pretty funny." She let her leg return to the ground, but then flipped back to do a handstand. Several prisoners clapped at her feat. _

"…_Ty Lee…" Mai started, but she was immediately shushed by her friend._

"_Mai, I have the feeling something important is happening today. Maybe we are going to be released, or transferred, or…something. I don't know…something." She said._

"…_Maybe they will serve us something edible…" She gave a wry smile at her own sarcasm._

"_Oh, come on, Mai. You know that anything is edible if you put your mind to it." She flipped back to a standing position. She scratched her head, "Wait…that didn't make much sense…did it?" Mai shook her head. _

_A cry gained both of their attentions, as well as many of the other prisoners. The crowd started to circle around what was making the noise. He ran over, making sure it wasn't a fight of some kind. To both his relief and fear, it was not. Instead, it was an old man, cowering under one of the guards. The guard had a fire whip in his hand. Ty Lee and Mai had joined the crowd. The younger one gasped as she saw what was happening._

"_That's Kyon." She whispered, pointing to the old man. Mai looked at him curiously. _

"_Why is he out here in the middle like this?" She asked. Ty Lee shrugged. _

"_Old man!!" The guard bellowed. "We know that you stole from the food supply. Now it is time for your punishment." He cracked the whip once in front of the prisoner. The flame licked his foot, and he cried out in pain. The guard grinned in satisfaction._

"_Why are they doing this? Kyon hasn't done anything…" Ty Lee asked, a hint of fear in her voice. She was gripping her own hand, letting her fingers move in and out nervously. Obviously she knew this man. She knew this man was innocent. _

_He watched as the guard prepared to strike again. He wanted so much to stop this, as he also knew the man was innocent. But he couldn't. It was not his place. Although he had more authority than the guard now inflicting the punishment, he didn't know if the warden had ordered this penalty. If he had, then he would get in big trouble. He couldn't risk that. _

_Ty Lee had seen the motion too. She pushed herself through the crowd, not without excusing herself to every person, to the front. Once close enough she jumped in front of Kyon, her arms stretched out to her sides. He stared, barely comprehending what he saw. The guard wouldn't care who he struck, even if he was ordered not to harm anyone else. He knew this guard. He was bloodthirsty. He would not stop. This was suicide! _

_He meandered his way to the front, quicker than she had for he knew time was of the essence. If he could get to the guard fast enough, he could prevent this. He knew that the warden would not order him to strike the two traitors. Mai had also gotten there, her eyes wide with panic._

"_Ty Lee! What are you…?" She cried out. The young girl looked back, a grave look on her face. She soon replace it with a fake smile. The guard swung the whip forward with all the strength in him. _

_It snapped around her small waist, instantly burning through her prison outfit and into her flesh. She winced, but stood her ground. The guard laughed at her pain and pulled the whip, tightening its hold. Blood sprayed out and Ty Lee screamed. Tears spilled from her eyes. Yet she remained standing. _

_He stood there, completely horrified at what he was seeing. He couldn't believe it. Wouldn't believe it. The whole scene only lasted a few seconds, and yet it seemed like an eternity. A sob brought him back to reality. It was Mai._

"_Stop it!!" She screamed as she ran up to the guard. She began to hit him in several times in the chest, "Stop it!! Stop it!! You're killing her!! You're killing her!!" The tears rolled down her face as she stared him in the eye. But he just grinned. _

"_Princess Azula ordered no mercy." The guard sneered. At these words Mai's pupils shrunk, as if she lost all sanity. _

_He knew that's what happened too. He had seen it before at the prison. He also knew that Princess Azula had not ordered 'no mercy'. The guard was lying so that he could get away with this. He looked down at his feet, who failed to listen to his brain and move. He was frozen at the spot, forced to watch the torment._

_Then the guard jerked the whip back quickly. The action sent Ty Lee to the ground, her body landing with a loud crack. The blood began to flow out, forming a puddle around the girl. She groaned, rolling over so that she lied on her back. Mai stood frozen as well. Her mind didn't understand what was happening._

_He had had enough. He begged his legs to move. Move. Slowly, one foot rose up and then another. Once he had his balance, he ran up to the other guard, who was preparing for another strike._

"_Stop it! You have no authority to do this!" He cried. The guard grimaced at the sight of him, and stepped back reluctantly. Finally, his own authority could be used for good. Once the guard was out of the way, he went to Mai, who was still unresponsive. "Hurry, we can save her Mai. We can save her…" She stared blankly ahead. _

"_It's too late. She killed her…" Mai replied dully. _

"_No it's not!! Mai, snap out of it!!" He cried, "Look at her, she's still breathing!! She's alive!!" She slowly turned her head towards the young girl who now lay sprawled on the ground. She seemed to think it over for a second._

"_Breathing…" Her pupils grew slightly, and she shook her head violently, "Ty Lee!!" She ran over to her, with him right behind her. Mai carefully lifted her body off the ground and cradled her in her arms. The blood was staining her clothes. He bent down and put two fingers under Ty Lee's chin. _

"_Her pulse is speeding up, I don't think we have much time…" He pointed out, examining the smoldering flesh. Her skin had been entirely burnt off at her waist and hips. Most of her prison outfit was destroyed. And the blood continued to flow out. _

"…_no…it's okay…" A faint voice said. Both he and Mai looked incredulously at her. Ty Lee just smiled back. Her eyes still sparkled, but they were dimmer than usual._

"_No, it's not okay Ty Lee. You're going to be fine, once we get you some help." He replied._

"_Please listen to him, Ty Lee…y-you're going to be alright…" Mai insisted, tears returning to her eyes. She held the young girl close, feeling her every breath. But Ty Lee shook her head._

"_Mai…promise me something…" She replied. He brought his fingers back to her neck. Her pulse was slowing. She didn't have much time. She was fading away…_

"_Yes…what is it…" _

"_Don't give up…on Azula…she doesn't understand now…but…" She gasped as pain seized her body. She tightened up. He didn't know how she was lasting this long. _

"_Settle down…don't use so much energy…" He instructed calmly, even though fear was the only feeling in his mind. In any moment they would lose her. He turned to look at Mai. Her pupils were shrinking again. She was losing her mind. _

"_N-No!! I…can't!! I hate her! It's all her fault!!" She cried as she covered her ears with her hands. "I c-can't do that!! I'll kill her!!" _

"_Mai…" Ty Lee coughed, blood spurting out of her mouth, "…please…" Her body tightened again, and she smiled. Her tears made her cheeks red. She knew what was going to happen. And she was happy. He did not understand it. How could she still be happy?_

"_Ty Lee…I…" Mai tried to protest through her insanity. He stared very hard at the young girl. She gasped in one more breath, and then she went still. Her eyes glazed over, her smile faded from her face. She looked like a lifeless doll. Mai's face went completely white. _

"…" _He attempted to say something but no words came out. Not that Mai would probably listen. She was lost to them now. She wouldn't listen to him or to reason. There was nothing he could do. She was gone. His legs felt sticky, and he realized that he was kneeling in her blood. The blood of an innocent girl. _

* * *

"…Mai held on to her, not wanting to believe she was dead. The other guards had to pull her away from the body. She has acted this way ever since." The guard wiped away several tears from his face. Azula just stood there. So many emotions were melting together inside of her. Anguish. Guilt. Miserable. Fear. Anger. Hatred.

"What happened to…" She tried to ask, but couldn't make it all the way out. She didn't completely want to know, but it was nagging at her anyways.

"Her body?" He asked. She nodded, a bit embarrassed that he knew what she was asking, "They threw it in the furnace, as they do with all the dead prisoners." This made her stomach churn even more. Just the thought of Ty Lee's small, limp body being thrown into the fire made her sick. And only because she didn't come quick enough to take them away.

She had to leave…she didn't know why, but she couldn't bear the thought of staying anymore. The whole prison seemed to smell like death. Like burning flesh. She felt nauseous. She had to go.

"I-I…have to…" Before she could finish, she ran out of the first door. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the guard stare at her. She felt bad about just leaving. But she had to go. She had to get home.

* * *

She walked slowly into her room, no longer paying attention to the details. Her stomach had no compassion. No mercy. She felt weak. Sick. Like she was missing something. But she was, of course. Something very important. A part of her that wasn't supposed to leave.

Immediately, she went over to her dresser. She slowly opened the drawer, revealing the scrolls. Or, what was left of them. She winced as she saw the ashes lying at the bottom. Why did she always have to act on impulse? Why couldn't she think things through just a little bit? She wanted to burn herself badly. Just like she had to these precious letters.

She picked up the only scroll that remained in tact. She stared at the handwriting. The sloppy handwriting. Ty Lee's handwriting. She had never been good at calligraphy. It was her weak spot at school. She carefully unfolded it, not wanting to rip the last item connected with her.

_Azula,_

_I know you don't want to see me, and I understand. I probably shouldn't have hit you. You know I didn't want to hurt you. It's just that I know when you get a bit out of hand. If you hadn't been angry already, I'm sure you wouldn't have threatened Mai like that. But I understand. I understand all of it._

_Ever since we were kids I understood. I knew that you didn't have any friends. I knew how much you hated your brother. That's why I remained by your side, even when I didn't want to. You see, real friends need to learn from each other. This is what I think happened. We both learned that we need each other. _

_Mai doesn't think the same way. She is still angry at you. I try to explain that you just need some time, but she doesn't listen. You know how stubborn she is. But I know you will come back. Hopefully by then I can get Mai to at least not hurt you. _

_The prison is very nice, compared to what I have heard about it. The food could be better, but I don't complain. At least we get to go outside. To feel the wind in your hair, to let the sun kiss your face! And to talk to all the cute boys…_

_Remember back at school, when we made our pact? We promised to be friends forever. I'm sure you probably don't remember all the way (Mai doesn't either), but I do. And I intend to keep that promise._

_Ty Lee_

Her heart ached as she read the letter. Ty Lee knew she would come. She knew. She even knew why she would come. But she had come too late. All the faith that the little girl had put in her had gone to waste. Because she was stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. She should have come sooner. She should have never imprisoned them in the first place.

She cried out, letting herself fall to her knees. The scroll fell from her hands as she brought them to her face. The tears came rolling down. There was nothing she could do. Nothing. They were both gone. When she needed them, they were both gone. Why did she have to be like this? Everyone hated her. And those who loved her were now dead. Or insane.

Pain. She drew her hands back in horror. Her fingers had flames on them. She extinguished them, and brought her hands back to her face. She had burnt herself. Only slightly, but the pain was still horrendous. Was this how she felt when she died? A fiery pain, everywhere? Blood ran down her cheek, and she licked it off.

The pain. Now it cooled her skin. It felt…good. She wanted more of it. She smiled. Yes, more. She produced two fireballs and let them fall to the ground. The floor immediately went ablaze. The flames licked at her legs, bringing searing pain. Yes, pain.

She looked down only to see the scroll being eaten by the fire. But that didn't matter anymore. Ty Lee was with her. She saw her standing in front of her wearing her prison outfit. The girl smiled as the blood flowed from her body, feeding the fire. Making the fire grow.

Azula didn't wince as the fire crawled up her back. She smelled the smoke. She smelled the burning flesh. She liked it. There was a cracking noise as the flames engulfed her bed. The rafters of the roof were falling, causing dust to spread out. The dresser was gone by now. Her vanity was a pile of ashes. But she paid no attention to it.

She looked back at Ty Lee. She had her arms out, beckoning her to embrace her. To forgive her. Mai stood right next to her, imitating the motion. Her pupils were normal again. Azula began to cry as she stood up and ran to her friends, hugging them. She felt loved. She felt complete. She felt happy. And she laughed.

* * *

The two servants were shocked when they walked past the hall to Azula's room. It was completely ablaze. Their cries of horror instantly caused two guards to come to the scene. They quickly bent the fire, killing the flames. Then they entered the room.

Inside was a figure lying down face first, completely burnt. They were surprised when they saw it breathe. They were even more surprised when they realized it was Azula. She was barely recognizable. Her hair was gone, save a few strands singed and smoking. Her flesh was red as the blood oozed out. They turned her right-side up to examine her wounds.

One of the guards gasped. Her pupils had shrunk increasingly. A large, menacing smile was plastered on her face. And she was laughing uncontrollably.

* * *

**So that was it. Pretty long, I know. Also, it is my first fic with scenebreakers. They are a bit sloppy...sorry... But if you are reading this, that means you beared through until the end!! Or...you skimmed...or you just scrolled to the bottom of the page. So yeha, I killed Ty Lee, which is not like me at all. I love the little pink girl. And I do not think this is what is going to happen. In fact, I have proof that it won't! I won't tell you that proof, or you may be spoiled. If you couldn't tell, Azula went insane too, just like Mai. I kind of felt bad for making Mai crazy. At first, she was going to be all nice and she was going to explain Ty Lee's death. Then I realized how much fun it is to write about crazy people, so I made her insane. This whole idea came up when I was in a Shadow the Hedgehog/Maria phase, so I think that's where are the killing and pyschoness came from. Oh, and Kyon is a small gesture to The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya...which I don't even like that much, I just like the music from it...and now I am rambling a lot...One last thing, if you can't tell, all the stuff in italics during Ty Lee's death scene is the guard talking. It would have been so boring and unemotional if it was just "Well, she walked up infront of this old dude and he whipped her to death", bcause that is how stinky my dialouges are and it would have ruined everything!! Okay, my fun is done...Go Maiko! Oh, and this was a bit messed up the first time I put it up...sorry if you saw it then...**


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